Corn products and methods for their production

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a subgroup of corn lines comprised of plants that produce seeds having low saturated fatty acid content. The plants disclosed herein can be used to produce low saturated corn material predictably, via conventional methods. Further, the plants disclosed herein can be used to produce commercially acceptable hybrids having lower saturated fat content.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent decades, it has become increasingly clear that dietscontaining large amounts of saturated fatty acids are directlycorrelated to an increased likelihood of developing heart disease.Hence, efforts have been made to modify the fatty acid content ofcommonly used oils to produce healthier oils having lower amounts ofsaturated fatty acids.

Corn oil is composed of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids withcarbon chain lengths ranging from 12 to 24. Approximately 95% or more ofthe total oil content is composed of palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0),oleic (18:1), and linoleic (18:2) acids, Jellum (1970) J. Agric. FoodChem., 18:365-70. Palmitic and stearic acids are saturated fatty acids;thus, corn oil having less of these two fatty acids would be highlydesirable.

The published literature on saturated fatty acid content in cornindicates the presence of diverse genes, located on differentchromosomes, that affect saturated fatty acid content in a manner notclearly understood. This fact, combined with the virtual absence ofinformation regarding the molecular biology of fatty acid profile incorn, has complicated the task of modifying the saturate level in cornand, in particular, has rendered the breeding endeavor of selecting forcorn saturate content highly unpredictable a priori. Moreover, there hasbeen no basis to date for a reasonable expectation of success inobtaining mean saturate levels less than 8%.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general, the present invention relates to corn material having asaturated fatty acid (saturate) content less than the lowest valuespreviously reported, and to a corn oil having a percentage of saturatesthat provides for a more desirable and healthier oil.

More specifically, the present invention relates to corn seeds whichhave a saturate content of less than about 7.0% by weight relative tothe total fatty acid content of the seed (hereinafter expressed aspercent by weight, or simply percent). In the most preferred embodiment,the seed has a saturate content of less than about 6.0%. The inventionfurther relates to a corn plant which produces seeds having a meansaturate content of less than about 7.0% by weight. Yet another aspectof the present invention is directed to a corn oil having a saturatecontent less than about 7.0%.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description. It should beunderstood, however, that the detailed description and the specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.Unless indicated otherwise, respective contents of the documents citedare hereby incorporated by reference.

Percentages and ratios given herein are by weight, and temperatures arein degrees Celsius unless otherwise indicated. The references citedwithin this application are herein incorporated by reference to theextent applicable. Where necessary to better exemplify the invention,percentages and ratios may be cross-combined.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In order to provide an understanding of a number of terms used in thespecification and claims herein, the following definitions are provided.

“Selection”—Occurs when plants with desired phenotypes or genotypes arechosen for additional plant breeding procedures and breeding projects.

“Intermating”—Denotes the practice of planting seeds of selected plantphenotypes in individual rows, such that normal germination, emergenceand plant maturation occur, and (at the onset of pollen-shed and silkextrusion) systematically crossing plants from each of these rows toplants from as many other rows as possible, thereby to maximize thenumber of crosses between unrelated individuals in the population.

“Backcrossing”—as used herein refers to the crossing of a progeny plantor line with its parent plant or line.

“Variety”—Refers to a group of plants within a species, such as Zea maysL., which share certain constant characters that separate them fromother possible varieties within that species. While possessing at leastone distinctive trait, a variety can also be characterized by asubstantial amount of variation between individuals within the variety,based primarily on the Mendelian segregation of traits among the progenyof succeeding generations.

“Line”—a line as distinguished from “variety” and “cultivar” refers to agroup of plants which are substantially uniform in their traits exceptthat there is relatively minor variation within the group and suchvariation can be characterized. The decreased variation within thisgroup has generally (although not exclusively) resulted from severalgenerations of self-pollination (selfing).

“True Breeding”—A line is considered “true breeding” for a particulartrait if it is genetically homozygous for that trait to the extent thatwhen the variety is self-pollinated, no significant amount ofindependent segregation of the trait among progeny is observed.

“Saturate Content” and “Saturates”—These terms are used synonymously andinterchangeably with relation to measurements of the proportion ofsaturates to total fatty acids present in corn oil which is extractedfrom single seeds (using the whole- or half-seed technique, as describedbelow) or from bulked seed. Since the saturate values set out in thisdescription are generally obtained from GLC analyses, the reportedproportions of saturate are essentially by weight. When saturate contentor saturate value are expressed as a percent or a percent by weight, itis to be understood that such percentage is relative to the total fattyacid content of the seed(s).

“Bulked Seed”—can be constituted, for example, from a plurality of seedsof a single cob (a kernel bulk”), from the combined seed from all or aparticular part of a genetically related family of plants, or from theseed of a plant introduction (defined below).

A “Plant Introduction” (P.I.)—is a sample of seeds of a given species(e.g., Zea mays L.) that can be grown into plants having a commondiscernible (gross) morphology. Generally designated by country oforigin, a P.I. often represents germplasm native and/or adapted to thatcountry, and hence may embody considerable genetic variability. A P.I.can also represent the germplasm of an inbred line.

The following examples are provided to further illustrate the presentinvention and are not intended to limit the invention beyond thelimitations set forth in the appended claims.

EXAMPLE 1 Determination of Fatty Acid Content

The screening can be effected, for example, by a half-seed technique, inwhich the seed scutulum is excised and the oil extracted is assayed byGLC, see Jellum & Worthington (1966) Crop Sci. 6:251-253, or bysimilarly analyzing oil extracted from a whole seed. The latter approachdoes not save the embryo for germination. GLC analysis can be conductedon a five- (or more) kernel bulk sample and on a one-half kernel sample,which allows the planting of the remaining half-seed for furtherbreeding. The screening can be performed before an initial selfing stepor, if a greater degree of segregation is desired, after aself-pollination of plants grown from the bulk seed.

The fatty acid composition of corn seeds developed in the breedingprogram was determined by GLC in accordance with the proceduresdescribed below.

The oil was obtained by using a corn oil extraction protocol having thefollowing steps:

-   -   1. A sample of corn kernels were removed from the ear and was        then catalogued according to row number and pedigree.    -   2. A sample was crushed with a pestle in a mortar. Ether was        added and the sample was crushed further for ten seconds.    -   3. This solution was then drawn up through non-absorbing cotton        into a pipette. The clean solution was then put into a test        tube.    -   4. Three drops of tetramethylammonium hydroxide or sodium        methoxide were added to the solution in the test tube and        allowed to react for five minutes.    -   5. After five minutes, distilled water was added to the solution        to raise the liquid level in the test tube. Since oil is lighter        than water, the oil was easily siphoned off the top layer.    -   6. The oil drawn off was placed in 2 ml vials. Ether was added        to raise the level to three-fourths full.    -   7. The vial was then capped and thus ready to be processed        through the gas liquid chromatograph.

For analyses of one-half seed samples, a small piece of the scutellumwas removed with a razor blade. A sample of scutellar tissue was thenplaced in a mortar with a small amount of ether, approximately 1 to 1.5ml. The sample was crushed and stirred for approximately 10 seconds witha pestle, and the solution drawn up through non-absorbent cotton andplaced in a test tube. A 0.5 ml sample of the ether extractant was thentreated in the manner described above. The fatty acid analysis of onehalf-seed allowed planting of the remaining half-kernel in a breedingnursery and conducting of additional research and development with thisgenotype.

The GLC analyses were accomplished using a 5890A Hewlett-Packard gasliquid chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector and aHewlett-Packard 3396A integrator. The column used was a Supelco 2330fused silica capillary column (having a film thickness of 0.2 micron andcolumn dimensions of 15 m.×0.25 mm.). The operating conditions for theGLC analysis included an injector temperature of 250 degrees Celsius anda detector temperature of 300 degrees Celsius. Column flow was 2.0ml/min. of helium. Each chromatographic run was temperature-programmedto begin at 170 degrees Celsius and remain at that temperature for 1.0min. The temperature was then increased to 180 degrees Celsius at a rateof 1 or 2 degrees Celsius/min. After this period of time, thechromatograph was completed and the column prepared for the next run.

EXAMPLE 2 Production of Mutant Lines

Two high oleic corn lines from the source population HOLEISYN wereselected to see if low saturate lines could be developed. These twolines were crossed and the F1 seed was grown and selfed. The F2 seed wasplanted, and before pollination, approximately 200 ears wereshootbagged. Tassels that were shedding were selected and the ear shootswere cut back to ensure good silk exposure. A day later the corn pollenwas collected using tassel bags. The pollen was placed on a small screento filter out pollen from anthers and other foreign material. The pollenwas then poured into a solution of 1 ml EMS and 100 mls Fisher parafinoil (stock diluted by 1 ml and 15 mls oil solution). The solution wasmixed every minute for the first five minutes and then every fiveminutes for 45 minutes to keep the pollen suspended. After 45 minutesthe pollen/parafin solution was brushed onto the silks of developingears. A tassel bag was used to cover the ear to prevent contamination.The ear was picked at maturity and then tested for fatty acid contentusing the half-seed GLC analysis procedures outlined above.

EXAMPLE 3 Mutant Seed Production in Greenhouse

Resulting seeds from the EMS mutagenesis procedure were screened for lowsaturate content. Plants derived from half seeds designated as lines LS1498-18, LS288-04, and L0417-12 which showed promising levels ofsaturates and oleic acid were selfed to produce sufficient seed forthese experiments. As soon as fully mature seed could be harvested fromplants derived from this seed, five kernels from each plant weresubjected to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis to determine fattyacid profiles. Saturates levels were then determined and statisticalanalysis was performed to identify those sublines (tracing back toindividual selfed plants) which were significantly lower in totalsaturates. Seeds from these identified sublines were planted and selfedto produce another cycle of seed which was then analyzed. Numeroussublines were generated for each mutant line; however, only a fewexamples have been presented in Table 1. Results of sublines showedtotal saturates were always below the levels found in elite germplasm,i.e., OQ414. The lowering of saturates in the mutant germplasm wasaccomplished by up to a 50% reduction in 16:0 levels (palmitic acid),rather than 18:0 levels (stearic acid) when compared back to levelsfound in conventional germplasm. Presence of high 18:1 levels in themutants was observed and consistent with earlier efforts to breed forhigh oleic acid in maize. The 18:2 levels (linoleic acid) were shown tobe considerably lower in the mutants compared to elite germplasm while18:3 (linolenic acid) and percent lipids of the seed embryo remainedfairly constant.

EXAMPLE 4 Mutant Seed Production in Field

Greenhouse produced seed from the lines produced in Example 2 was pooledacross several sublines within each mutant line in order to supply asufficient number of kernels for planting. Plants were selfed and fattyacid content was analyzed. About a 15% further reduction in saturateswas observed from field produced seed compared to kernels from thegreenhouse. Greenhouse produced seed had total saturate levels between7.7% and 8.8%, whereas the field produced seed had saturate levels below7% (Table 2). These results seemed to be consistent with observations ofCanola seed which showed 1-2% reduction in saturates for field comparedto greenhouse grown seed. TABLE 1 Percent fatty acid profiles for threemutant lines and sublines derived therefrom Total Lipids Saturates 16:018:0 18:1 18:2 18:3 of seed Mutant Line (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) embryo(%) LS1498-18¹ 5.6 4.4 1.2 LS1498-18.S01 7.3² 5.8 1.4 64.3 26.1 0.7 25.40.2³ 0.1 0.2 2.4 2.4 0.1 10.3 LS1498-18.S01.S08 6.7² 5.5 1.2 64.9 26.40.8 26.7 0.1³ 0.2 0.1 0.8 0.7 0.1 0.6 LS288-04¹ 7.4 5.4 2.0 LS288-04.S097.5² 5.2 2.3 65.1 25.8 0.5 27.9 0.2³ 0.1 0.2 1.2 1.2 0.0 5.9LS288-04.S09.S06.S02 6.9² 4.9 2.0 71.1 19.9 0.7 34.8 0.2³ 0.2 0.1 1.31.3 0.1 4.5 LS0417-12¹ 6.8 5.0 1.8 LS0417-12.S07 9.0² 6.8 2.2 68.2 20.50.8 26.7 0.3³ 0.3 0.1 1.3 1.1 0.1 5.4 LS0417-12.S07.S08 7.6² 5.8 1.872.4 18.1 0.7 27.7 0.1³ 0.1 0.1 1.7 1.7 0.0 1.8 OQ414 12.0² 10.8 1.223.4 62.7 1.1 28.2 0.5³ 0.6 0.1 1.4 0.9 0.1 4.2¹Original mutant line²Average of five kernels³Standard deviation

TABLE 2 Fatty acid composition of greenhouse and field produced mutantseed Total Lipids Saturates 16:0 18:0 18:1 18:2 18:3 of seed Mutant Line(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) embryo (%) LS1498-18 (Greenhouse)¹ 7.7² 5.8 1.970.8 20.1 0.6 0.4³ 0.2 0.2 1.8 2.1 0.0 LS1498-18 (Field) 6.3⁴ 4.9 1.464.9 27.4 0.6 33.1 0.3⁵ 0.1 0.3 0.8 0.8 0.0 2.5 LS288-04 (Greenhouse)8.0² 5.3 2.7 67.0 23.6 0.5 0.1³ 0.1 0.1 0.5 0.4 0.0 LS288-04 (Field)6.4⁴ 4.3 2.1 69.6 22.7 0.5 35.8 0.3⁵ 0.2 0.4 1.2 1.3 0.1 6.3 LS0417-12(Greenhouse) 8.8² 6.8 2.0 67.5 22.0 0.6 0.1³ 0.2 0.2 2.3 2.2 0.1LS0417-12 (Field) 6.7⁴ 5.5 1.2 66.0 25.8 0.7 36.6 0.4⁵ 0.4 0.1 3.1 2.80.1 7.2¹Seed pooled from several sublines²Average of means³Standard error⁴Average of five kernels⁵Standard deviation

Seeds of the lines disclosed herein are deposited with the American TypeCulture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852 USA, inaccord with the provisions of the Budapest Treaty. Cultures wereassigned the following accession numbers by the repository: LS1498, ATCCNo. ______; LS288, ATCC No. ______; LS0417, ATCC No. ______.

EXAMPLE 5 Production of Commercially-acceptable Hybrids and HybridsHaving Waxy Type Kernel

Elite low saturate corn lines can be developed by crossing the lowsaturate line (derived from a low saturate P.I. population) with anagronomically elite line for a given maturity region. For example, CS405is an elite corn inbred line which has a saturate content of about11.4%. LS288-04-506-502 is the designation for a low saturate linedeveloped by the procedures of this invention. By crossing CS405 withLS288-04-506-502, followed with two to four generations of selfing andselection of low saturate lines with agronomically desirable traits, thelines resulting from this breeding effort can exhibit low saturatecontent along with acceptable agronomic traits such as plant vigor, goodstalks and roots, disease resistance, and the like. Crossing lowsaturate lines with a number of elite lines and selfing and selectingfrom these crosses can produce numerous new low saturate corn lines.These lines can be adapted to any maturity region desired by selectingthe appropriate maturity level in the elite corn parent and selectingfor the desired maturity in subsequent selfing generations. The lowsaturate lines developed by the present invention can be used as one ormore parents in corn hybrids.

Also, one or more backcrosses to the elite recurrent parent can beaccomplished to incorporate a higher percentage of the elite germplasmcharacteristics while retaining the low saturate trait.

An inbred line that is true-breeding for a low saturate phenotypeaccording to the present invention is advantageously employed in abackcrossing program to introgress the low saturate trait into other,more agronomically desirable lines. For example, a true-breeding inbredline of the present invention can be the donor parent for backcrossingto a waxy corn line, to thereby produce a high oleic, low saturate, waxyhybrid or line. In this regard, a “hybrid” would be an offspringobtained by crossing parent plants of different lineage.

As disclosed, for example, by Coe et al., in Corn and Corn Improvement(3d ed.), Sprague, G. F. and Dudley, J. W., Eds., p. 142-143 (AmericanSociety of Agronomy, Madison, Wis., 1988) (hereinafter “Coe et al.(1988)”), the waxy type of kernel is so unique and its expression sounconfounded that the waxy trait is conventionally used as a universalmarker. The waxy endosperm chips away evenly when cut with a blade,leaving a smooth, opaque surface, while normal endosperm breaks unevenlyand leaves an irregular, translucent surface. In addition, the starch inthe outer surface of a non-waxy endosperm stains blue, turning quicklyto black, with an iodine (I₂)-potassium iodide (KI) solution, while thatof material homozygous for the waxy allele (wx1) stains reddish brown,turning soon to dark brown.

The uniqueness of the waxy trait allows for the ready backcrossing to arecurrent waxy parent of progeny that are (low saturate×waxy) hybrids,according to the present invention, against a donor waxy (wx1/wx1)parent. That is, progress can be readily monitored for a backcrossinggeneration whereby the germplasm contribution of the low saturate donor,save for the expression of a mean saturate value of about 7% or less, isvirtually eliminated.

Introgression of a low saturate phenotype as described above can also beaccomplished with regard to genetic backgrounds characterized by traitsother than waxy. Illustrative of traits that could be combined with alow saturate phenotype, pursuant to the present invention, are thoselisted in Table 3. TABLE 3 EXEMPLARY CORN TRAITS TO COMBINE WITH LOWSATURATE PHENOTYPE Determi- nant* Description Insect Resistance Bt theexpression of Bt genes, synthetic or native, can impart insectresistance to a wide array of insects. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,831whose teachings are incorporated herein in their entirety. EndospermMutants ael^(S) “amylose extender”: amylose fraction of starch increasedto 50% (glassy, tarnished endosperm); ael gene plus modifiers provides arange in amylose from about 50% to 80%, but the amylose content can bestabilized at intermediate levels; Vineyard & Bear (1952) Corn Genet.Coop. Newsltr. 26: 5 o2^(S) “opaque-2 endosperm”: reduced zein andincreased lysine in endosperm (soft, chalky, non-transparent kernels;little, hard, vitreous or horny endosperm); Nelson et al. (1965) Science150: 1469-70 Resistance to Common Leaf Rust (Puccinia sorghi): Rp1 Mains(1926) J. Hered, 17: 313-25; (1930) J. Agric. Res. 43: 419-30 Rp3^(S)Wilkinson & Hooker (1968) Phytopathol. 58: 605-08 Rp4^(S) Wilkinson &Hooker (1968) loc. cit. Rp5^(S) Saxena & Hooker (1968) Proc. Nat'l Acad.Sci. USA 61: 1300-05 Rpp9^(S) resistance to southern leaf rust (Pucciniapolysora Underw.); Ullstrup (1965) Phytopathol. 55: 425-28 Resistance toNorthern Leaf Spot (Cochliobolus carbonum Nelson): Hm1 confers fullresistance, although some alleles are intermediate; Nelson & Ullstrup(1964) J. Hered. 55: 194-99, Hamid et al. (1982) Phytopathol. 72:1169-73 Hm2 confers resistance, in the presence of homozygous recessivehm1, that is lower initially but becomes progressively stronger as theplant develops. Nelson & Ullstrup (1964) J. Heredity 55: 194-99, Hamidet al. (1982) Phytopathol. 752: 1169-73 Resistance to Southern Corn LeafBlight (Bipolaris maydis) (Nisik.) Shoemaker (race 0): rhm1^(S) Smith &Hooker (1973) Crop Sci. 13: 330-31 Resistance to Northern Leaf Blight(Helminthosporium turcicum Pass.): Ht1^(S) Hooker (1963) Crop Sci. 3:381-83 Ht2^(S) Hooker (1977) loc. cit. 17: 132-35 Ht3^(S) Hooker (1981)Corn Genet. Coop. Newsltr. 55: 87-88 Bx1 resistance to H. turcicum(reduces levels of H. turcicum infection in genotypes ht1/ht1 Bx1/Bx1and Ht1/Ht1/Bx1/Bx1, relative to bx1/bx1 counterparts); Couture et al.(1971) Phys. Plant Pathol. 1: 515-21 Aphid, Corn, Mosaic, Virus I,Eradicane ™ Herbicide, Drought, Heat & Aluminum Tolerance aph1resistance to corn leaf aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis Fitch.); Change &Brewbaker (1976) Corn Genet. Coop. Newsltr. 50: 31-32 Mv1 resistance tocorn mosaic virus I; Brewbaker (1974) in Proc. 29th Ann. Corn & SorghumRes. Conf 118-33 thc1 tolerance to Eradicane ™(S-ethyl-dipropylthiocarbamate plus R25788 safener); Pfund & Crum (1977)Agronomy Abstr. p. 66 lte1 Miranda (1981) Corn Genet. Coop. Newsltr. 55:18-19 (also conditions frost resistance) Lte2 Miranda (1982) loc. cit.56: 28-30 Conditions pollen competition, disfavoring fertilization ofsilks with same genotype by pollen of another (Ga1-S pollen outcompetesga1 pollen for Ga1-S silks); maintains isolation of strains fromoutcrossing Ga1-S^(S) D. Schwartz (1950) Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 36:719-724 GA8 Schwartz (1951) Corn Genet. Coop. Newsltr. 25: 30*Designation of determinations conforms to usage in linkage map of Coeet al. (1988). A superscript “S” indicates availability from the CornGenetic Stock Center, Department of Agronomy, University of Illinois(Urbana).

EXAMPLE 6 Imparting Male Sterility to Selected Lines

In addition, various approaches to imparting male sterility in corn canbe used to produce male-sterile, low saturate material within thepresent invention, which material can be employed in turn to producehybrids which also display a low saturate phenotype according to thepresent invention. An inbred line possessing such a low saturatephenotype can thus be advantageously employed in a backcrossing programas a recurrent parent to cytoplasmic-genetic, male-sterile donorscontaining both nuclear and cytoplasmic factors imparting male sterility(A lines), to donors containing nuclear but not cytoplasmic factorsimparting male sterility (B lines), and to donors containing nuclear andcytoplasmic factors that restore fertility to male-sterile material (Rlines), as described, for example, by Coe et al. (1988), at pages 195-98and pages 206-09, and Poehlman, “Breeding Field Crops” (2d ed.), AVIPublishing Co. (1979), at pages 292-95. Sources for cytoplasmicmale-sterility (cms) and fertility restoration (Rf) factors includeHolden's Foundation Seeds, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Williamsburg, Iowa 52361(cms-S and cms-C); Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc., P.O. Box 722,Champaign, Ill. 61820 (cms-S and cms-C); and Agronomy Department,University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill. (cms-T, cms-S, cms-C and various Rfdeterminations).

It should be understood that the examples and embodiments describedherein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modificationsor changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in theart and are to be included within the spirit and purview of thisapplication and the scope of the appended claims.

1. An assemblage of corn seeds having a mean saturate content of lessthan about 7.0% by weight relative to the total fatty acid content ofsaid seed.
 2. The assemblage of corn seeds according to claim 1, whereinsaid mean saturate content is less than about 6.7% by weight.
 3. Theassemblage of corn seeds according to claim 1, wherein said meansaturate content is less than about 6.0% by weight.
 4. The assemblage ofcorn seeds according to claim 1, said seeds being obtained from a plantor plants belonging to a corn line selected from the group consisting ofLS0417, LS1498, LS288, or sublines produced therefrom.
 5. The assemblageof corn seeds according to claim 4, wherein said seeds are obtained froma plant or plants belonging to the LS 1498 corn line, or sublinesproduced therefrom.
 6. A corn plant that produces seeds having a meansaturate content of less than about 7.0% by weight relative to the totalfatty acid content of said seeds.
 7. The corn plant according to claim6, wherein said plant displays a waxy phenotype.
 8. The corn plantaccording to claim 6, wherein said plant is a hybrid.
 9. The corn plantaccording to claim 8, wherein said hybrid displays a waxy phenotype. 10.The corn plant according to claim 6, wherein said corn plant belongs toa corn line selected from the group consisting of LS1498, LS288, andLS0417, or sublines produced therefrom.
 11. The corn plant according toclaim 10, wherein said corn plant belongs to the LS1498 corn line.
 12. Acommercially acceptable hybrid corn plant that produces seeds having amean saturate content of less than about 7.0% by weight relative to thetotal fatty acid content of said seed, said seeds being the product of across between (a) a first parent from a corn line that is true breedingfor saturate content; and (b) a second parent from a second corn line.13. A corn oil produced from the assemblage of seeds of claim 1, saidoil having a mean saturate content of less than about 7.0% by weightrelative to the total fatty acid content of said oil.
 14. The corn oilaccording to claim 13, wherein the mean saturate content is less thanabout 6.7%.
 15. The corn oil according to claim 14, wherein the meansaturate content is less than about 6.0%.
 16. A method for producing lowsaturate corn material, comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining aplurality of corn seeds having a mean saturate content of less thanabout 7.0%; (b) growing out said plurality of corn seeds to obtain apopulation of corn plants; (c) intermating plants comprising saidpopulation to produce first seeds; (d) subjecting said first seeds toselection based on saturate content, such that a predetermined saturatepercentage of said first seeds is retained and plants grown from saidpredetermined percentage of seeds are intermated to produce secondseeds; (e) with said second seeds obtained, repeating steps (b), (c),and (d) at least once, whereby plants producing seeds that have a meansaturate content of less than about 7.0% by weight are obtained.
 17. Amethod for producing corn oil having a saturate content of less thanabout 7.0% comprising the steps of: obtaining an assemblage of seedshaving a mean saturate content of less than about 7.0%; and extractingthe oil from said seeds to yield corn oil having a saturate of less thenabout 7.0%.